Stern Skeptical of Proposal to Send Rivers to Clippers

A proposed deal that would allow Doc Rivers to leave the Boston Celtics for the Los Angeles Clippers — with players and draft picks changing teams as part of the transaction — violates N.B.A. rules, Commissioner David Stern said in a radio interview Thursday.

Stern did not say outright that such a deal would be vetoed, but he cast serious doubt on its prospects of reaching fruition as currently constructed.

“I would say, in the language of diplomacy, that the teams are aware that the collective bargaining agreement doesn’t authorize trades involving coaches’ contracts,” Stern told ESPN New York.

Generally speaking, trades can include only players, draft picks and cash, Stern said. “But coaches’ contracts don’t qualify as extra consideration, or acceptable consideration in player transactions. The teams know that. It has been confirmed to them.”

Rivers wants to be released from his Celtics contract, which has three years left and includes a noncompete clause that would keep him out of the coaching ranks unless Boston grants permission.

The Clippers are also interested in acquiring the Celtics veteran Kevin Garnett, who, like Rivers, would prefer a change of scenery, rather than stick around for Boston’s planned rebuilding effort. The Celtics are also expected to trade or release Paul Pierce.

The teams have been discussing a deal that would send the young center DeAndre Jordan and draft picks to Boston in exchange for Garnett, with an understanding that Rivers would also be set free.

The deals are clearly intertwined and thus in violation of the collective bargaining agreement. Teams cannot make any trades that involve unwritten side deals or considerations. In the interview Thursday, Stern said those rules “can’t be gotten around by breaking it up into two transactions.”

Asked if the teams could simply consummate a trade of players and picks, with Rivers let out of his contract at a later time — presumably as a separate matter — Stern replied with a sarcastic “Riiight.”

Stern mocked the notion that the proposed trade and the proposed release of Rivers could be viewed as separate, saying, “I have a bridge that I would very much enjoy selling to you.”

Asked if the deal could still happen, Stern said: “I’m not saying more. That’s it.”